Joining Hawerchuk will be former players Mike Gartner, Viacheslav Fetisov and Jari Kurri, while Pittsburgh Penguins' general manager Craig Patrick was chosen in the builders' category.
The announcements were made by Hall chairman Jim Gregory Thursday, after a vote by the hall's selection committee. The induction ceremony will take place Nov. 12.
"I have nothing but thanks for everything the game has given to me," said Hawerchuk.
Dale Hawerchuk. (CP Photo)
"I was able to live my dream for 16 years and played to be the best that I could be and I am grateful to be recognized as one of the best players from my time."
| Dale Hawerchuk - Career Stats | |||||
| GP | G | A | PTS | PIMS | |
| Regular Season | 1188 | 518 | 891 | 1409 | 742 |
| Playoffs | 97 | 30 | 69 | 99 | 67 |
Hawerchuk, 38, was widely expected to have gained entry last year, but was passed over while Denis Savard and Joe Mullen made it in.
The Oshawa, Ont.-native retired in 1997 after a 16-year career which included stints with Buffalo, St. Louis and Philadelphia.
But it is as a Winnipeg Jet that Hawerchuk will most likely be remembered. He was an instant sensation, winning rookie of the year in 1982 after scoring 45 goals for the Jets.
Because he was at his best during Wayne Gretzky's dominant years, Hawerchuk's on-ice achievements were ofter overshadowed by the Great One. He is 13th on the all-time list with 1,409 points, and all the retired players ahead of him are in the Hall.
| Viacheslav Fetisov - Career Stats | |||||
| GP | G | A | PTS | PIMS | |
| Regular Season | 546 | 36 | 192 | 228 | 656 |
| Playoffs | 116 | 2 | 26 | 28 | 145 |
He joined the NHL in 1989 as a member of the New Jersey Devils and was a part of two Stanley Cup championship squads while playing for the Detroit Red Wings. He is the second Russian-born player after goaltender Vladislav Tretiak to enter the Hall.
"This is unbelievable and the best day of my life," said Fetisov, currently an assistant coach with the Devils. "This is a wonderful recognition and as a player something I have worked for all of my life."
Before retiring in 1998 Gartner played for 18 NHL seasons, with stops in Washington, Minnesota (North Stars), New York (Rangers), Toronto and Phoenix.
| Mike Gartner - Career Stats | |||||
| GP | G | A | PTS | PIMS | |
| Regular Season | 1432 | 708 | 627 | 1335 | 1159 |
| Playoffs | 122 | 43 | 50 | 93 | 125 |
"I strove for consistency in all aspects of my life and am proud to be recognized over my career as being a player that produced for both my teammates and our fans," said Gartner.
Kurri, a key part Edmonton Oilers dynasty during the 1980s, is the highest-secoring European born player in NHL history. Before retiring in 1998 Kurri tallied 1,398 points, scoring at least 50 goals in four straight seasons and recording five straight 100-point campaigns.
| Jari Kurri - Career Stats | |||||
| GP | G | A | PTS | PIMS | |
| Regular Season | 1251 | 601 | 797 | 1398 | 545 |
| Playoffs | 200 | 106 | 127 | 233 | 123 |
"It is a great honour since so few players are able to make it to this level," said Kurri. "To be the first Finnish player elected is especially gratifying."
Patrick, who won two Stanley Cups as GM of the Penguins, helped to build the U.S. National and Olympic hockey programs, and was assistant coach and assistant GM of the U.S.'s gold medal team at the 1980 Winter Olympics.
"I was shocked when I got the call today," Patrick said. "I had no idea I was even being considered for this. "I'm terribly humbled to be with such a prestigious group of people."
